


Drifting

by LadyShipmate



Category: Samurai Champloo
Genre: Canon Divergence, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Friendship/Love, Fuugen, Hidden Feelings, Lemon, Lust, Non-Graphic Violence, One Shot, Oral Sex, Passionate, Pirates, Possessive Behavior, Romance, Rough Kissing, Rough Sex, Sex, Smut, hidden love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-12
Updated: 2020-10-12
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:27:00
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,961
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26962876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyShipmate/pseuds/LadyShipmate
Summary: A lemony riff off episodes 13 and 14 (Misguided Miscreants part 1 & 2)Things between Mugen and Fuu get steamy when he tries to teach her a lesson about why she shouldn't have wandered off alone... at night... with pirates around. Unfortunately, the duo is interrupted by Jin and the onset of the heist. Afterwards, Mugen's near death experience brings him and Fuu closer together, and Mugen endeavors to finish what he and Fuu started. (Lemon)
Relationships: Kasumi Fuu/Mugen
Comments: 10
Kudos: 61





	Drifting

**Author's Note:**

> I am obsessed with Fuugen, and episodes 13 and 14 are some of my favourites from the anime! In this fic I weave in and out of canon material, so don't be surprised to see some dialogue verbatim from the anime mixed with scenes straight from my head/heart. In this fic I imagine Fuu is magically aged up to the age of consent :) Warning--the ending of this story features a major lemon between Fuu x Mugen, so underage readers turn back now! 
> 
> Notes:
> 
> 1\. Italics are flashbacks.  
> 2\. Headings will state the timepoints clearly!  
> 3\. The POV switches from Mugen to Fuu (though most of the story is told from Mugen's POV).
> 
> Please let me know what you think of this story in the comments!

* * *

**The Evening of the Heist**

* * *

**Mugen's POV**

Mugen opened the door of the run down hut with his foot, roughly sliding it until it crashed against the doorframe. He barged in, looking around. “Where’s Fuu?” he asked Jin, frowning.

Jin continued sharpening his sword. “She went for a walk.”

“Why the hell would she do that?” Heat rose in Mugen’s chest, nameless but powerful. She was such a stupid bitch—didn’t she realize that there were pirates and murderers stalking the night?

Jin exhaled calmly. “I don’t know.” He rested his sword across his knees and looked up at Mugen. “But I suspect she’s mad at you for taking the job.” His eyes were cold.

 _Guess Four-eyes is mad, too_ , Mugen thought. When he told them earlier that he’d decided to join in on the heist with Mukuro, Fuu had looked so worried about him. It made him uncomfortable, at the time.

“Like I told ya before, we need the cash,” Mugen said hotly. Explaining himself made him restless—it wasn’t like him to justify his actions. He did what he wanted, when he wanted. Why couldn’t Fuu and Four-eyes just get over it?

Jin just pushed up his glasses and began sharpening his katana again, his movements slow and deliberate. 

Mugen spun around and stalked out of the hut into the night, slamming the door closed behind him. His thoughts were full of Fuu. How round her eyes had been as she said “they’d manage” without him taking the job. Wooden planks croaked under his feet as he walked the path down to the shore.

 _Fuu and Koza are both whiny bitches_ , he thought. But there was a glaring difference between them that even Mugen had noticed. Fuu worried about other people—even _him_ , a vagrant from the Ryukyu islands. Fuu was never afraid to look at him, right at him. That was… rare. And she had this strange ability to connect with other people, no matter what life path they walked. She had this unyielding, indiscriminate compassion for everyone—old, young, rich, or poor. She’d even shown compassion for that boy who pickpocketed her, Shinsuke. Mugen watched Fuu go to his mother after his death. It was like helping other people, comforting them, came naturally to her.

Koza on the other hand was only worried about herself and about how other people could help her. _Koza’s a manipulative little bitch_ , he thought. _And she’s goddamned clingy._ The way Koza had thrown herself at him earlier—asking him to be her protector and to run away with her—made him queasy. She was hot, sure. But fucking Koza would be like fucking his past, like fucking Mukuro and countless other people he despised. And, if he was honest… she wasn’t Fuu.

Why the fuck did Koza want him to be her protector, anyway? He clenched teeth as he remembered Mukoro’s jeering earlier, when he’d said he was protecting Fuu and Jin:

> _“I don’t work for nobody but me. Thought I told ya all that before.”_
> 
> _“Oh, so then tell me what you’re doing with these two?” Mukuro grinned slyly as he said it._
> 
> _“I don’t got no commitments to 'em. I’m just protecting ‘em till they get to Nagasaki.”_
> 
> _“You’re protecting them? You’re kidding right? Now that’s funny. That’s a good one.” Mukruo turned to Fuu and Jin. “Hey, do you two have any idea what kind of past this guy has? Are you the least bit aware of the number of lives this guy’s taken? And now he says he’s protecting people. That’s real amusin’.”_
> 
> _When Mukruo laughed at him, white hot anger had overcome him. Mugen pressed his sword to Mukruo’s throat._
> 
> _“That’s better. That’s the Mugen that I remember. Is it all coming back to you now, buddy?” Mukuro jeered._

The memory made him boil. He had let himself be goaded into teaming up with Mukuro—but it was no surprise. Mukuro always knew how to push his buttons.

That encounter was probably where Koza got the idea that he could be her protector from. He had been the one to say he was protecting Jin and Fuu after all… but thing was, he wasn’t talking about Jin back then, on the beach. Jin didn’t need a protector. He had been talking about Fuu.

Deep down, he knew he wasn’t good enough to protect Fuu. Fact was, someone should probably be protecting _her_ from _him_. And it made him furious that Mukuro had called him out on that in front of her. But regardless of that, Fuu had chased after him when he’d stormed off. She wasn’t scared of him in the slightest, even after what Mukuro said.

She was feisty one minute, then completely calm. She could laugh and laugh, then burst into tears. She was… like the sea. And he was driftwood, following her current—for now. He scratched his chin, the stubble scraping at his fingers. The moon was bright still, and on the shoreline he could see footprints leading away from the abandoned village, towards the sea.

He thought back to when Fuu had first seen the sea. How she’d ran to it:

> _Mugen beat back the thick bush that Fuu had so easily slipped through until he stood at the edge of the forest before the ocean. Seagulls called overhead. He paused at the sight momentarily—being here, it was like he was confronting his past. The last time he’d been by the ocean, it had almost been his deathbed. And yet, here he was, drifting back._
> 
> _Jin emerged from the forest and stood beside him, stoic as ever. They descended the steep hill after Fuu and reached the sand just she as ran right into the ocean with the reckless abandon and heartfelt delight of a child. God, she seemed young to him in that moment._
> 
> _“It’s the ocean!” she exclaimed, running right in. “It’s cold—brr.” She had hiked her pink kimo up to her thighs so she could splash in the shallows._
> 
> _Mugen felt a pang in his chest watching her. Had he ever felt that kind of… joy before?_
> 
> _She was laughing. The sound was like a soft bell ringing in his ears, calling him home. It was… painful. Seeing Fuu like this just reminded him how dirty he was. Feelings he didn’t want to name washed over him. He had done things that no amount of water could clean. Spilled a small ocean of blood. He managed to keep his face expressionless as he watched Fuu frolicking despite the turbulence under his surface._
> 
> _And then he saw Koza, like some figment of his worst nightmare, come back to haunt him. Wherever Koza was, Mukuro shadowed her. And wherever Mugen went, there was his past._

“Dumb broad,” he grumbled as he trekked through the sand. He surveyed the area. The wind carried the sound of rumbling laugher from the pirates’ camp. It would have been so easy for one of Mukuro’s gang to happen across her little footprints in the sand. Her thoughtlessness infuriated him. What was the point of searching for the sunflower dude if she was just gonna get herself killed or worse the minute he wasn’t around? And why the fuck did Jin let her go off alone? He started off after Fuu.

Anger roared in his chest as he thought about earlier that night, at the meeting with Mukuro and his gang on the pirate ship:

> _“We have some time before the shogunate transport ship docks,” Mukuro said. He grinned slyly. “So, now’s your last chance to go get laid, boys!”_
> 
> _With that, the meeting concluded._
> 
> _Mugen moved to leave the pirate ship._ _He wanted to leave as soon as possible._ _He couldn’t shake the heavy feeling he’d had since meeting Mukuro that afternoon, and being in the same room as him made Mugen irritable. Normally, Mugen only acted on his gut instinct, but Mukuro had won the bet. And he felt like he had something to prove._
> 
> _He wanted to find somewhere to be alone for awhile before the heist started, to ready himself and get right about it. But a hand clamping down on his shoulder stopped him from slipping out the door._
> 
> _“Hey, Mugen,” said Mukuro, his voice husky, “where’s that girl at?”_
> 
> _Mugen scowled. Fuu flashed through his mind. Her pink kimono hiked up to her thighs as she kicked in the shallows of the ocean. Her innocence practically radiating from her._
> 
> _“What girl?” he asked, though he knew the answer. He had seen Mukuro’s hungry eyes on Fuu earlier._
> 
> _He knew Fuu felt it too. She had run to cower behind Jin on the beach. He had felt a pang of jealousy then—of course Fuu wanted Jin to protect her over him. After all. He was a former pirate. He was the one who knew the bastards that had just captured her in a net, shot arrows at them, and attacked them with swords drawn and guns blazing._
> 
> _“That pretty little thing you’re traveling with, in the pink.” Mukuro's voice was vile.  
> _
> 
> _Mugen fought to keep his voice even. “What do ya want with her?”_
> 
> _Mukuro grinned, and the glint of his teeth made him look particularly predatory. “’Cuz she was hot, and looked like she needed breakin’ in.”_
> 
> _That bastard, Mugen thought. “Why don't cha go break yourself in, Mukuro.” Mugen shrugged Mukuro off and left, his blood boiling._
> 
> _“Aww, come on, buddy!” Mukuro called after him._
> 
> _Mugen had slammed the door shut behind him in response._

He tried to rein in his anger as he waked. Why did he even care? He should be preparing himself for the heist, not tracking down Fuu.

**Fuu’s POV**

She had walked farther than she meant to, and she had a sinking feeling that she had strayed too far away from Jin and Mugen to be safe… but she wanted to be alone with her thoughts and her emotions. She needed some time to unravel them. To name them. There were so many feelings swirling in her—she hadn’t even been able to eat tonight!

She sat on a large boulder and looked out over the restless sea. She picked at some drying seaweed on the boulder with her manicured nails and wondered if it was edible. Momo rustled inside her Kimono, so Fuu pulled her out and placed Momo gently on her lap, stroking her soft fur.

“Momo, why am I feeling this way?” she asked her pet.

Momo chittered and crawled under Fuu’s hand, urging Fuu to keep petting her.

“UGH! I’m so hungry!” she called to the ocean.

Momo squeaked, as if in agreement, then jumped off her lap and ran off into the bushes to scrounge for food. Fuu looked at the place Momo disappeared for a minute, watching the grass sway and considering whether or not to follow her, but in the end she trusted that Momo would find her way back. She always did.

Fuu sighed and folded her hands in her lap. She kicked off her sandals and sifted her toes through the grains of fine sand. She traced circles with her big toe, her thoughts circling back to Mugen.

She grit her teeth together—hard—at the sudden wave of jealousy crashing inside of her. Koza had been clinging to Mugen all afternoon. Fuu couldn’t stop thinking about the conversation between them she had accidentally witnessed when she’d gone out to look for Mugen earlier. She had seen them, sitting together in the evening on the beach. Fuu had just been about to call out to them when she saw Koza throw herself across Mugen’s chest. Fuu had to listen hard, but she could just make out the words they’d exchanged:

> _“Are you happy now, Mugen?” Koza asked._
> 
> _“Hm? I dunno. Can’t say that I’ve given that much thought,” Mugen said dismissively._
> 
> _“I think Fuu is really lucky,” said Koza slowly._
> 
> _“You think so?”_
> 
> _“Yeah, because… because she gets to be with you, Mugen,” Koza paused, then threw herself across his body, clinging to his shirt and resting her face on his stomach. “Mugen, I want to be with you too. Like she is. I want to get out of this place. I want to run away, with you.”_
> 
> _“Sorry, but… I’m the wrong guy for that job.” Mugen stood and started walking away. “Later.”_

It was hard to bear, these confusing feelings for Mugen. Fuu knew Jin suspected her heart already. Afterall, she had never been very good at hiding her emotions. But she hadn’t realized how hard she’d fallen for Mugen until she saw Koza thrown herself onto him. When she’d seen her touching him… she had felt something she didn’t expect. Something that she wasn’t ready for—she’d felt jealousy. Intense, unadulterated jealousy.

Even though Mugen had turned Koza down, Fuu was still envious. Koza knew Mugen from childhood. She knew his past. She knew things about him that Fuu couldn’t possibly hope to learn… things she knew Mugen would never tell her. Koza had been the one to tell her that Mugen knew how to work a boat. And Koza had been the one to tell her that Mugen grew up not just on the Ryukyu islands, but on a small penal colony within the islands. She wished… it had been Mugen to tell her these things.

Fuu wasn’t dumb—she knew what his tattoos meant. He’d been incarcerated before… one ring for each offense. Six total. She knew he’d done things… but she also knew that he wasn’t entirely proud of his past. She knew because of how angry he’d gotten when Mukuro laughed at the idea of Mugen protecting her and Jin that afternoon. _That’s why he stalked off_ , she thought. _If he was truly all bad, he wouldn’t have cared if Jin and I found out about his past. But it bothered him that Mukuro told us._

She knew people were scared of Mugen immediately when they saw him... and for good reason. But Mugen wasn’t scarier than Jin to her. Not really. Mugen had a hard past, harder than most. Jin even once called Mugen “the lowest of the low”—Fuu didn’t think that was fair, because the place he’d started from was one of the worst places imaginable. Koza had called it hell. Yet despite going through hell, here he was. She thought he was the strongest man she’d ever met. She understood that he had to be cutthroat to survive.

Sometimes though, she could tell. She could tell that he really did have a good heart. And that’s why it was easier for him to pretend he didn’t, because he’d done things even he barely had the strength to bear. She could tell that when he let himself be at ease, when he let himself smile, he was immediately hit with anger and shame. He would brood after every positive emotion. She was pretty sure he thought he wasn’t allowed to feel those things—ease, happiness, joy, delight, or peace. He was always punishing himself.

She thought again about how Mugen had said he was “protecting her and Jin.” _Does he really want to protect me?_ she thought. The idea that he wanted to protect her made warmth blossom between her legs and desire bloom in her chest. She pictured his messy black hair, blowing in the wind. She wished she could run her fingers through it and pull him close. She wished he would save his wolfish grin just for her. She imagined what it would be like to feel his hands on her body.

_Ugh, what am I thinking about him for? He doesn’t even look at me. All he wants is girls with big hooters._

She looked down at her own petite chest and brought one of her hands up to feel her breasts. Nope, they definitely hadn’t gotten any bigger. She moved her hand and rested her palm against her heart, feeling her own heartbeat under her ribs. She let the sound of her pulse and the waves wash over her.

**Mugen’s POV**

“Oi!” called Mugen when he saw Fuu sitting on a boulder. “What the hell are ya doin’ out here.”

She looked like she was in a trance or something. Her hands were over her heart, and her ear was to the sea. Her eyes were closed. His voice made her jump.

“Go away, Mugen!” Fuu said after the shock wore off. She crossed her arms over her chest and turned away from him.

“You’re stupider than I thought, girlie,” he said sharply. “You shouldn’t be out here alone.”

“I can handle myself,” she said. Fuu slipped off the rock to stand before him, hands on her hips.

“Ha!” Mugen snorted. “That’s such a load of crap.”

“Excuse me?” Fuu stomped as she said it, hands balled to fists at her side now. “I can take care of myself!”

“Oh you can, can you?” Mugen studied her up and down. She didn't even have her shoes on. Her mouth was pursed in a tight line; her expression so determined. She was so much smaller than him. She had no idea how easy it would be.

“Yes, I can!” she said defiantly, chin in the air.

“So,” he said lowly, moving towards her, “exactly how are ya gonna take care of yourself when a guy like Mukuro finds you alone out here?”

Fuu shrank out of her power stance and crouched in on herself, suddenly unsure. “What do you mean, Mugen?” Her little brow was furrowed, as if she hadn’t considered this type of threat.

Mugen stepped closer to her, a dangerous glint in his eye. “Come on. How’re ya gonna defend yourself?”

Mugen could tell Fuu was disarmed by his proximity to her. He was stalking towards her now. 

“I’d scream,” she said, backing up against the boulder.

“That would just get a guy like Mukuro excited.”

“It would not!” she shot back, in disbelief. Fuu was inspecting his face in the low light.

He wished he was kidding. “Guy like Mukuro? He’d just tell you to scream louder, sweetheart.” He studied her face, her mixed emotions. “Side’s, ain’t no one out here to hear you.”

“Fine! I’d run then,” she squeaked.

“He’d run faster.” Mugen was standing right in front of her now, inches away.

“I… I could talk my way out.”

“Right,” said Mugen.

“I really can take care of myself.” Her words rang hollow, like she was trying to convince herself now.

Mugen suddenly grabbed her wrists and pulled her arms back behind her, roughly holding her hands down on the rock with his own. He leaned in. “And how’re ya gonna take care of yourself when one of ‘em has you pinned down like this?” His voice was rougher than he meant it to be.

Emotions flashed across her pretty features in the dim moonlight. Anger, uncertainty, and fear, sure… but also, something unexpected. Arousal. Unmistakable arousal. He started to feel hot. Throbbing. She wasn’t even trying to fight him off. She was looking at his face, his features. She had gone completely weak with his touch, rough as it was.

He pushed her back firmly against the rock with his hips, moving one leg between hers, trapping her. Then he pulled her arms easily up above her head, pinning her by the wrists with just one hand. With his other hand he reached for the hem of her kimono. He rested his hand on her knee, then slowly started hiking the fabric up. Her legs were smooth and soft, and she trembled under his fingertips. He looked down at her, taking in everything. She was breathing heavily, her breasts moved up and down against his chest rapidly. In the fading moonlight, he could almost see her cheeks flush.

“Come on, Fuu. Tell me. What’re ya gonna do?” He was nearly growling when he spoke.

He wanted her to say that she needed him. That she would call for his help. That she couldn’t take care of everything by herself. That she _wanted_ him to protect her.

On some level he knew she was too overwhelmed to answer him now—she had lost all her nerve; she was like putty in his hands. And he was starting to feel lightheaded as desire flooded his body. She smelled like sweet tangerines and the wind. He wanted to press his lips to her neck and taste her skin. Her body pressed underneath his felt good, and the desire to be inside her was building.

But he couldn’t stay here with her. He could smell the storm approaching. The moonlight was disappearing as clouds gathered, and the breeze had started to pick up. It was time to head back. Time to get the heist over with and be done with Mukuro for good.

Mugen released Fuu’s pinned wrists and stepped away from her. She pushed herself up from the rock and looked at him like she didn’t want him to go. He turned away.

“Mugen,” she asked, coming right up behind him. Her voice was a whisper. “What’s going on? What’s wrong?”

“Don’t be naïve,” he spat, refusing to look at her. “Nothing’s wrong. This is how guys like me act.”

She inhaled, opening her mouth to say something, but the sound of muffled footsteps approaching drew both of their attention. Mugen drew his sword and turned to face the intruder… but it was Jin who had found them.

 _Damn_ , thought Mugen. 

Fuu inhaled sharply. “Jin,” she said, her voice small. Then she buried her gaze in the sand to hide her face from Jin. She retrieved her sandals hurriedly and put them on.

Jin stood perfectly still and glared at Mugen.

 _Damn, he’s looking at me like I’m a monster._ Mugen sheathed his sword. _Maybe I am a monster._

Without a word, Fuu took off, back down the beach and towards the abandoned village, as fast as she could without tripping on her sandals. He watched her form disappearing into the night.

Mugen started walking back, too. Jin fell into step beside him.

“So, how much of that did ya see?” asked Mugen.

“I saw enough to know that you’re despicable,” replied Jin cooly.

The disapproval in Jin’s voice grated on him. “Don’t judge me, Four-eyes. I was just provin’ a point,” snapped Mugen.

“Do you expect me to believe that’s all you were doing?” asked Jin.

Mugen ignored the question. "Don't let her out of your sight again tonight."

Jin raised an eyebrow, but nodded.

Neither man said another word as they headed back—Jin towards the hut, and Mugen towards the heist.

**Fuu’s POV**

She ran as fast as she could back to the hut. Raindrops were just starting to fall when she reached it, and she ducked into the shelter.

She paced back and forth in front of the sunken hearth, her mind racing a mile a minute. Her heart felt like it might burst. She was so worried about him.

She grabbed some wood from the corner of the hut and kneeled in front of the hearth, snapping off pieces with her fingers and tossing them into the flames until the firelight touched her, warmed her skin.

She shook her head as her thoughts returned to the beach. To Mugen’s skin on her skin, his strong hands wrapped around her wrists. She knew he was just trying to show her how vulnerable she was, but she hadn’t expected his touch to make her so weak, so elated. 

Jin returned shortly after her. Mugen wasn’t with him anymore—he was with the pirates, now. She had a horrible feeling in the pit of her stomach.

She expected Jin to say something about what happened, what he’d seen on the beach. But instead, he placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. The action was comforting. It was the only exchange they needed.

Time passed slowly and the rain fell hard. Fuu couldn’t see anything out the window. Just darkness. The rain pounded the rooftop of the hut, drowning out all other sound but the crackling fire and Jin’s even breathing.

Then the door slid open suddenly. Koza appeared, leaning against the frame with all her weight. Her eyes were wide, frantic.

“You have to save Mugen.” She slid down the doorframe. “Hurry up, he’s gonna die!”

Fuu rushed to her. “What are you talking about?”

“So, it was a trap,” stated Jin, sheathing his katana.

Fuu’s heart dropped. _Mugen._

They ran to the dock. Fuu moved wildly, on the edge of losing any composure she had. One of the ships blazed in the night. Nothing made sense anymore to her.

“The pirate ship’s on fire,” said Koza.

 _No, no, no. Mugen has to be alright._ “What? Who’s on that ship?” she asked Koza.

“Mugen,” Koza said, defeated.

“MUGEN!” Fuu cried as the ship exploded.

* * *

**After the Heist**

* * *

**Mugen’s POV **

The first face he saw when he fully awoke was Fuu’s.

And hers was the last voice he heard before passing out, before going under… he could have sworn it was her he heard screaming his name desperately into the night.

He wondered if the crow men had heard her, too. Why didn’t he die? Did they let him stay because he had more he needed to do with his life? It was starting to feel… clear. He had this feeling that there was something he was supposed to do. Or learn. And he felt like maybe the answer was Fuu.

He woke in a hut. Fuu had been nursing his wounds—he had felt her press a cold compress to his forehead. By some miracle, he’d survived the explosion. By some miracle, he didn’t drown. And now he was here, with Fuu.

He tried to speak.

“Mugen!” she cried, bringing her face right up to his to hear his words.

“I’m really hungry,” he rasped.

She looked crestfallen, then relieved. He wondered what words she had wanted to hear him say in that moment.

“I’ll see if I can scrounge something up for you,” she said, hurrying off. Her voice was soft.

Once she was gone, he scowled at the ceiling. He had to get up. He had something left to do. Someone left to kill.

* * *

**Two Weeks After The Heist**

* * *

**Mugen’s POV**

Mugen sat in the sand cross-legged. He was fully recovered now from the botched heist, even after he had used most of his energy slaying Shiren and re-opened the wounds that Fuu had so delicately tended after she found him caught in that net. But opening his wounds was worth the pain, worth it to deliver the worst punishment to Koza that he could think of—leaving her completely alone in the world.

Fuu had been so mad when he’d returned to her and Jin. She was all fire that girl. Fire then water. Always in that order. But still, she’d tended his wounds every night as he drifted in and out of feverish sleep. It had been a few weeks now, and he was pretty much recovered. Jin had taken a temporary gig at the town they’d moved on to after the botched heist. They’d had to move on to keep out of the heat; the harbour had been crawling with shogunate men mere hours after the heist.

Fuu sat with him now, looking out over the ocean. He noticed she didn’t look at the ocean the same as before. When she looked out over it now, her eyes clouded over. It was as if she was afraid. He remembered the first time she saw the sea, just weeks before. She was so exuberant. Pure delight had radiated from her. It had reminded him of how dirty he really was, at the time. He wished she’d smile at the sea again, even if it annoyed him.

He hated to admit it, but it was his own fault he’d almost died. He should have known better than to trust Mukuro. It was probably his fault that she saw the sea as a thing to be feared now. And for some reason, that bothered him. He didn’t want to rob Fuu of her ability to find joy in ordinary things. Sure, life was shit, most of the time. It was hunger and violence and unsatiated desires. It was a pit in the stomach and dirty skin. It was disappointment and emptiness. But sometimes, it was better than that. Sometimes it was seeing the sea for the first time.

“Let’s go find somethin’ to eat before Jin gets back,” Mugen said, breaking the silence between them.

“Like what?” she asked.

“Let’s catch something.”

“You go,” said Fuu, staring down at her hands.

“Oi! I said come with me,” he barked.

She looked up at him with wide eyes, surprised at his order. “But Mugen, I… don’t know how to sail a boat. Or fish. Or swim.”

“Aren’t ya listenin’?” he huffed, “I didn’t ask ya to sail or fish or swim. I just said come with me.”

With that he used his sword to prop himself up, then he walked towards a docked sailboat that had sat abandoned since they’d made camp here. It was small, and the sails were very old—the mainsail was fine but the jib had a small tear in it. The ropes looked strong though, and unfrayed. _It’ll do_ , thought Mugen. There was even a small fishing net onboard, with glass buoys to keep it afloat on the water. It had some holes, but there was a chance they’d be able to catch something.

He looked over his shoulder to see Fuu following him cautiously, one hand clutched to her heart. He jumped into the boat. It rocked, but settled quickly. He turned back to Fuu. 

“Hurry up,” he said, voice gruff.

She hesitated at the edge of the dock, as if the step down was more than just a step down. He scowled and held out his hand. She placed hers delicately in his, letting him help her. But in true Fuu fashion, she tripped on her own sandals. He caught her small body easily, resisting the urge to hold her close to him.

She righted herself in his arms, blushing, then stepped away from him. The light breeze blew some of her hair from her pins and it danced across her face. He caught the scent of sweet tangerines—it was intoxicating.

She sat down at the edge of the boat, out of his way, and he used the ropes to angle the sales to set them off at an easy pace.

They were in a very large bay, with a rocky outcropping in the middle. The outcropping had wooden planks attached onto it for moorning. He slowed the boat to a stop when they were close and tied off the boat.

Surprisingly, the bay was quiet. No other vessels were around, unlike early morning, when sails of various colours dotted the bay. From their spot, they could still see the shore, but the people were merely specks in the distance. He tossed the fishing net into the sea in a practiced motion.

The sun was starting to set now. The colours transformed the ocean—purples and oranges danced atop the calm waters. Mugen sat down and looked at Fuu. She had her chin resting on the side of the boat, smiling softly as she looked out over the ocean. She lowered one arm to the water and dipped her fingers into the sea, touching the colours as if she could feel them. Fuu was like that—she absorbed whatever was going on around her. She was endless emotion, whereas Mugen had tried to empty himself of emotion a long time ago.

He liked the view… her bending over the edge of the boat. He traced her curves with his gaze, admiring her wide hips. She was small on top, but boy, did she have an ass. She was unusually quiet.

“Oi,” he barked. “Don’t ya have some nonsense to ramble on about?”

She sighed and looked at him, resting her cheek on the wood frame. “Cut it out, Mugen. I was just thinking.” Her face was pink from the sea breeze, and his body was responding to the sight of her flushed cheeks.

“’Bout what?” he asked, trying to ignore the rush he felt. He scratched his shin with his foot, attempting to distract himself.

“About how mad I am at the ocean.”

Mugen snorted. “Why are ya mad at it?”

She raised her head from the side of the boat, grasping the onto the edge with both hands to lift herself up as she spoke. “Because it almost took you away, Mugen.”

Mugen looked away from her warm, brown eyes. They sparkled in the last rays of sunlight, lit to a caramel colour. She was beautiful. It was hard to look at the concern on her face. He didn’t deserve it.

“But I’m also grateful to it,” she continued, voice a whisper, “because it gave you back.”

Anger flared in his chest. “You’re _grateful_?” He stood and stepped forward to stand over her. “Have you lost your damn mind, Fuu? I deserved to die.”

Fuu looked defiantly up at him, not breaking eye contact.

“Don’t you know the things I’ve done?” he said, voice gruff.

She looked away. He moved towards her. She started to move back, but he bent down and grabbed her left wrist in his iron clad grip and held her still. “Look at me,” he said roughly.

He waited until she met his gaze again before he spoke. “I’ve killed, and _enjoyed_ it. I’ve maimed. I’ve tortured. Stolen, cheated, gambled, lied.” His voice got louder with each word, but there was no fear in her warm brown eyes as she looked at him, only the shine of unshed tears. “You shouldn’t be grateful for me.”

She looked down suddenly, hiding from the intensity of his gaze. He grabbed her chin with his free hand and angled her face towards him. She was crying. For him. Again.

His anger extinguished. He sat down in front of her, one hand still holding her arm and the other on her chin. He moved his fingers and rubbed away the tear that was rolling down her pink cheek. She had closed her eyes to avoid meeting his gaze.

“Look at me, Fuu,” he said, voice husky.

She opened her eyes and sniffled.

“I’m not gonna die that easily. It’ll take more’n that ta off me.”

“Mugen,” she said quietly. Her lips were wet from her tears.

“I’m not gonna leave you,” he said bluntly.

She looked at him hesitantly, as if she thought he might disappear. He frowned and pulled her close to him in a rough embrace, one arm draped around her back and the other on her hair, holding her head to his chest. Her hair smelled like the wind. Her skin smelled floral, like tangerine flowers. He could feel her hot tears wet his shirt. Her hair was soft and silky under his hand. He’d never held anyone before like this.

She made him feel things that made him uncomfortable. It was more than simple lust, with her. He was her opposite in so many ways, but it was wildly attractive to him. He pushed where she pulled. She was innocent, and he was filthy. He was hard where she was soft. And he would take whatever she would give.

He pulled away slightly and looked down at her full lips and her flushed face. He couldn’t help himself—he placed his calloused hand on her cheek and roughly guided her up to him. Her lips were soft and giving, and she let him part them with his tongue. He deepened the kiss impatiently, enjoying the taste of salt on his tongue. He moved his other hand from her back to her neck.

“Mugen,” she said breathlessly between his rough kisses.

He paused, waiting for her to tell him off.

“Don’t stop,” she said pleadingly.

That was one command he would follow willingly. He rocked forward and layed her down. Then he straddled her hips and slipped out of his red happi and grey shirt, bundling them to form a makeshift pillow for her head. Her fingers traced the scars on his chest. Even now, she wasn’t afraid of him.

He leaned down and kissed her lips, then moved his attention to her neck. He nipped at her collarbone as his hands moved to untie her pink obi. She always tied it in a bow—it was like unwrapping a gift. When it was loose, he lifted it away from her. He traced the collar of her Kimono, then opened the fabric slowly, savouring the image of her beneath him in the gathering twilight.

“Damn Fuu,” he whistled. “Why’ve ya been hidin’ under that oversized Kimono?”

She blushed, and instinctually moved to cover her surprisingly curvaceous body, but he grabbed her hands and twined his fingers with hers, lightly pinning her arms beside her.

“Mugen…” she said, her voice drifting off.

“Spit it out, girlie.” The anticipation was driving him insane.

“I... don’t know how to do this” She looked up at him nervously, as if she’d revealed something that would make him want to stop.

“Well damn, you’re in luck. ‘Cuz I know just what to do,” he growled.

He opened her kimono further and bent to kiss her beautiful, creamy skin. He wrapped his arms around her back and roughly lifted her, and in response she moved her shoulders back to shrug out of her Kimono fully. He pressed her back down with his body, running his hands over every inch of her. The fire in her eyes was alluring. He could tell she was burning for him, that it was difficult for her to resist him. 

Her white chest bindings annoyed him, and he focused his movements on unravelling them. She arched her back and let him untuck the fabric. His nimble fingers made quick work of it, and in mere moments he had pulled all the bindings from her chest. He grinned slyly when the fabric fell away from her. Her breasts were small and pert, her nipples hard. He immediately took one in his mouth, sucking on her nipple and flicking it with his tongue.

She gasped and brought both hands to his head, tangling them in his hair to pull him away. _Damn, she’s sensitive._ He wondered if she was as sensitive below. He ran his hands down her ribs, down her flat stomach, tracing her curves. With his knee, he moved to part her legs. He nipped her skin as he moved his mouth down. Normally, he skipped right to the fucking, but he wanted to show Fuu how good his mouth could feel. 

“Mugen, what are you doing?” she asked, perplexed.

Fuck, she was innocent.

He responded by licking her silky folds, and pressing his tongue against her swollen clit. He couldn’t believe how ready she was for him. She moaned and let her head drop back against the makeshift pillow. He grinned into her. She tasted mild—sweet and clean. Metallic and salty. He moved his tongue down and slid it inside her while rubbing his thumb on her clit. She squirmed under his touch, moving her hips up and away from him to escape the intensity, but he wrapped his arms under her thighs and held her still. After a few more strokes of his tongue on her sensitive clit he relented and moved back to her folds.

When he had her practically shaking from pleasure with his mouth, he pulled away and rose to his knees. She sat up, curling her legs underneath her and resting her hands on her lap. She looked lost there, kneeling in front of him. He slipped off his shorts, and her eyes opened wide at the sight of him. Pride flared in his chest. He knew he was well endowed.

He stayed there, towering over her even on his knees, and she looked at him for guidance. He knotted his fingers in her hair and pulled her towards him. He rested her mouth against his cock, and she parted her lips obediently. He rocked into her mouth gently, and let out a low groan when he felt her tongue swirling around his head. She lifted one of her small hands and wrapped it around his shaft, rubbing him. He kept his hand at the nape of her neck, but let her set the pace.

He pulled the pins from her updo and watched her hair fall to her shoulders, rippling down her back. With each bob of her head, she took more of him in her mouth. He revelled in the sensations. He could let her go down on him forever, but feeling her warm, wet little mouth made him ache to be inside her pussy.

He gently pulled her away from him and guided her back until she was lying down. With his knee, he opened her legs. He positioned his hips at her entrance. He could feel her warmth against his tip. He wanted to feel her.

“Mugen,” she said, drawing his attention to her mouth. “I can’t… I can’t keep going if you don’t mean it.”

 _If I don’t mean it? What the hell is she blabberin’ on about?_ He raised his scarred eyebrow.

“I can’t do this if you’re just going to forget about me the second we get to a town with a brothel.” The words tumbled from her mouth quickly, jumbled together. She looked straight up at him, into his eyes. She looked… vulnerable.

It was exhilarating, this power he had over her. He grinned wolfishly, rubbing the tip of his cock against her folds. “What the hell do I need other women for when I have you?”

“That’s not what I mean,” she exclaimed, pouting and putting her hands on his chest to push him away.

“Fuu,” Mugen said, voice low. He grabbed both her wrists from his chest and held them down by her head. She closed her eyes and turned her face away from him. “Fuu. Have some faith in me, will ya?”

She opened her eyes and looked up at him, surprised, and hopeful. 

“I meant it. What I said earlier.” He let go of one of her wrists and swept a strand of stray hair from her eyes. “I’m not gonna leave you.”

She gave in to him. She relaxed and spread her legs wide for him, and he eased into her body, groaning with the pleasure that washed over him.

“Oh, Mugen,” she gasped when he entered her.

She felt good. And hot, and wet. And _tight_. He let her adjust to the feeling for a moment, but then he buried himself in her—thrusting as deep as he could while bending down to bite her neck. He felt her tighten around his shaft, gripping him. He kissed her collarbone and she relaxed enough for him to pull out. He pushed back into her, enjoying the soft sounds she made. She was a natural. She moved with his body effortlessly, losing herself in him.

He felt dizzy with pleasure. She was starting move her hips to meet his with a regular rhythm and and her slender fingers played with his hair.

"That's good, Fuu."

He couldn’t get enough of her body. Her small breasts bounced as he took her. He moved his lips to one and took a hard nipple in his mouth, flicking it with his tongue. He grinned when she gasped and grabbed his hair, pulling his face down harder on her chest. She was so responsive.

Suddenly, Mugen shifted his weight, rising to his knees again. Keeping balance so the boat didn’t rock, he flipped her over. She squeaked as he moved her. She was so beautiful. He placed her hands on the edge of the boat, his over top of hers to hold her in this position. He laced his fingers with hers and bent to kiss her shoulder. He easily found her entrance again with his cock and rocked into her. 

“Feel me, Fuu,” he growled. He resumed thrusting inside of her wildly.

She moaned in ecstasy at the new angle. "Mugen,” she breathed, throwing her head back in pleasure, "That feels good." 

He wrapped his arm under her, both to hold her against his chest as he moved in her and to allow him access to her body. He rubbed her breasts first, then he gently ran his hand down her flat stomach. His fingers easily found her silky folds, and he touched her wet opening, where he was thrusting in out of her. It turned him on even more to feel himself taking her with his dick and his hand at the same time. But then he began moving his fingers in a circular motion on her clit. She writhed under him, and watched her ribcage expand as she inhaled sharply at the new feeling. He built pressure slowly with his finger, feeling her go weak at his touch. 

She was completely lost in him. Completely beyond words. Her orgasmic panting was music to his ears. She leaned forward, resting her forehead between where her hands grasped the boat’s edge. She was completely submitting to him, now. He leaned down and kissed her shoulder, then her back. He traced his hand down her spine until he cupped her ass. She was rocking back into him with every thrust. He grabbed her hips to bring her against him harder, and nearly lost it when she helplessly yelped. He tangled his fingers in her hair and pulled her head back and up so he could kiss her from above. Her eyes fluttered open as he met her lips. He let her rest her head back down, and bent to kiss the back of her neck. Then her shoulder. Nipping whenever it suited him.

“Fuck Fuu, you’re hot,” he groaned as he rocked into her.

His fingers returned to her folds again, gentler this time. He swirled a finger around her clit, building pressure, all while he thrust into her faster, wilder, than before. She moved her hips to meet him eagerly with every thrust and he soon felt her walls clamping around him in waves. He increased the pressure on her clit until he felt her release.

"Oh, Mugen!" she called out.

She got even tighter, and in response, he let himself release the pleasure that had been building in him, too. He pulsed inside, spilling himself in her.

He panted in the dusk air and felt the breeze on his damp skin. Fuu collapsed under him, curling up, totally spent. He lay down with her, draping his arm around her shoulders to pull her close to his chest. She was shivering slightly now, and he wrapped his leg around her hip and brought her closer. He grabbed his red happi, and spread it over their bodies. He rested her head on his arm. Her eyes were closed. Her face peaceful. She was radiant and warm. She was his, now. 

He should dress, pull in the line, unmoor the boat, and start heading back towards shore… but he wanted more time with Fuu. Just like this. The boat rocked them gently atop of the water, and her breathing was steady and quiet, lulling him into a state of deep relaxation that he hadn’t ever felt before. He looked up at the sky—the first stars were starting to appear in the fading light. He felt drowsy. Released.

_It’s alright, this life. Drifting with her._

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Please let me know what you thought in the comments and leave a kudos if you liked it :) I love feedback, and it all helps me improve my writing!


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